Jarrah version of Major's hall table

[Rocker]

Yesterday, I learned a lot from a visit to Major's workshop. It was spotless, filled with enviable woodworking equipment, and contained huge quantites of prime timbers. He gave me a fascinating lesson in the technique of spraying lacquer, and completed the finishing of my version of his table. I came home a very happy camper.

My table has the same proportions as Major's original, but is 15% smaller.

[DPB]

As usual, your work is exemplary. Love it, Rocker :)

[outback]

There's certainly some very talented people around. A beautiful table Rocker. Stylish, functional, it has it all.

[Different]

Beautiful work Rocker


Ross

[Richardwoodhead]

Looks beatiful Rocker. Can you access much Jarrah in QLD? Living in Jarrah country in Margaret River - it's abundant. It's interesting to read so many posts in this forum that refer to work done in Jarrah. I've been hoarding Jarrah for 10 years as I could see an eventual decline with the move away from logging. Of all the hardwoods we have, I find Jarrah the best to work with....

Anyway, main reason I write is to beg for whatever "lessons" you learned about spraying lacquer from Major. I'm jealous.

[Peter36]

A terrific piece Rocker and beautiful grain on the top.:cool: What advice did Major have regarding the inlay . I hope you don't intend leaving it against the brick wall though.:D

Peter

[Rocker]

Richard,

Jarrah is easily obtainable over here but is fairly pricey at around $4000 per cubic metre. But the table, which, except for the rear apron, was all made from one 300 x 50 x 2000 board, only used about 0.03 cubic metres; so the wood only cost about $120.

I think your best bet with spray finishing is to buy the book that Major lent me, 'Spray Finishing' by Andy Charron (Taunton).

Rocker

[MajorPanic]

Excellent piece of work Rocker! :D

I thought the choice of Jarra was brilliant, it set the Silver Ash off well.

I'd like to see some of that US Maple, if it's whiter than Silver Ash, it would make for some great stringing. ;)

Anyway a good time was had by all http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Ben from Vic.]

Very nice Rocker. ;)

How do you do your stringing?
Do you cut your own strips? how do you make the 'groove'? etc..

Also, how far would you go accross grain before you started to worry about expansion and contraction?

[Dean]

bee-yoo-tiful :D

[Rocker]

Ben,

The stringing is not that hard. I ripped a strip about 3 mm thick from a board of silver ash, then put it through my thicknesser to bring it down to about 2.3 mm thick, to fit into the 4 mm deep groove that I routed with my 3/32" solid carbide bit, bought from Lee Valley.

I would not worry too much about the cross-grain problem, if you use PVA glue, which can allow some movement. I have put a 6 mm wide ebony inlay for 400 mm across the grain on an American cherry coffee table without any problem after several years. I actually used epoxy on this jarrah table, since the across-grain part of the stringing was only about 80 mm long, and I wanted to have plenty of time to install the stringing before the glue went off.

Rocker

[TassieKiwi]

Enviable work - nicely done!

[Rocker]

An article on this table is now published online at http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dgdcspjt_946zq65d

Rocker

[Wild Dingo]

Rocker and Major? I hate you both! :eek: ;) That is just TOOOOO Bloody beautiful :cool:

[Tex B]

Really, really nice Rocker. Thanks for continuing to inspire us.

Tex

[oges]

Great looking table.

Im heading to Bungendore tomorrow to checkout the wood works gallery. There are some nice tables in the current exhibit
http://www.bwoodworks.com.au/EXHIB/Scott_Mitchell/Scott_Mitchell_cata.htm

[MajorPanic]

Rocker and Major? I hate you both! :eek: ;) That is just TOOOOO Bloody beautiful :cool:

Well......... do yerself a favour & make the table!!
It's not that hard & is a real focal point. Rocker's article shows you how to do it in the easiest way possible. ;) :D

[boban]

I must congratulate both of you on the excellent work.

Exceptional execution, but that is no surprise.

[Wild Dingo]

Well......... do yerself a favour & make the table!!
It's not that hard & is a real focal point. Rocker's article shows you how to do it in the easiest way possible. ;) :D

Well Major... after seeing Rockers efforts and making my comments... I am :cool:

I just came back here to have a gander and work out how he joined that apron to the legs... gotta watch it so I dont make the sodding things to spindly eh?

Im considering making the legs (1in x 1in) join blocks (4in x 1in) that will be the corners wherein the front apron will also join this Im hoping will make a smooth transition to the sides

HOWEVER!!!... I was a tad conserned with the spindly nature of the legs and there being nothing lower down to keep them from wobbling later :eek: this shouldnt be too much of a problem I guess... I also see now that I will just give them a slight taper from about 4 or so inches below the join and gently round up to the join that should do.

One thing Ive just noticed with Rockers is (mmm yes I shoulda had a longer look back when I first glanced at it :rolleyes: ) that hes made his with straight legs!! why on earth I thought he had made it with curved legs is beyond me!! :( So Ive added a degree of dificulty I didnt need to eh! ;)

[Rocker]

I just came back here to have a gander and work out how he joined that apron to the legs... gotta watch it so I dont make the sodding things to spindly eh?

Im considering making the legs (1in x 1in) join blocks (4in x 1in) that will be the corners wherein the front apron will also join this Im hoping will make a smooth transition to the sides



Dingo,

If you mean you are making the legs just 1" square, I think that is too spindly. My table's legs are 34 mm square at the top, and the inside faces are tapered so that the bottoms of the legs are 19 mm square. I suggest you print out the online article whose URL is given in post #13. That has a list of dimensions as well as details of the joinery.

Rocker

[meerkat]

Rocker and Major? I hate you both! :eek: ;) That is just TOOOOO Bloody beautiful :cool:


yeah what he said !!:D

I'll give it a try but with some crapiata first

Thanks

[MajorPanic]

Good on ya Wild Dingo!

Here is a link to some construction photo's I took while building it, they might help ;). CLICK (http://www.majorpanic.com/RWconstruction.htm)

There are other general photo's of the table on my site under the heading Tables. CLICK (http://www.majorpanic.com)

Make sure you spend the time making a good form for the curved front as you use this when triming the front to length. This allows you to not worry about working out the cutting angles of the front curve.

[Rocker]

I have posted an article about building my version of Major's table on my blog; see the link below.

Rocker